International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

Integrated Sustainable Wastewater Management (Ecosan) for Tuvalu (site 2)

Aims: To ensure drought proofi ng and prevent sewage pollution of fresh and marine waters by reducing demand on primary drinking water supply for sanitation systems

Activities: Review and adoption of the National Integrated Water Resources Plan the Water Resources Act and the Building Code; Strengthening the National Water and Sanitation Committee; Update baseline data on nutrient and pathogen contamination of groundwater; Funafuti community awareness raising on sanitation; Introduce technical and management options for sanitation and water conservation.

2586 - PAS Implementing Sustainable Integrated Water Resource and Wastewater Management in the Pacific Island Countries - under the GEF Pacific Alliance for Sustainability

Water Use Efficiency


Amount of water savings through water use efficiency measures (m3/year)

40% reduction in water leakage from system in Vava’u supplying 5,000 people

"The Neiafu town water supply (approx. 5,000 people) is groundwater sourced; however over-pumping of some wells has increased water supply salinity to levels that are approaching undrinkable. The need for the high level of pumping was thought to be high system losses; however no reliable assessment had been undertaken prior to this project.
The Neiafu town water supply (approx. 5,000 people) is groundwater sourced; however over-pumping of some wells has increased water supply salinity to levels that are approaching undrinkable. The need for the high level of pumping was thought to be high system losses; however no reliable assessment had been undertaken prior to this project. "

"2. RESULTS: PROCESS
From a baseline of little interest in composting toilets to a success story other countries are looking to emulate, the Tuvalu GEF Pacific IWRM project has demonstrated the value of engaging stakeholders. This core IWRM and project approach has facilitated a national-level change in attitudes to sanitation and water management, development of a national water and sanitation policy framework, increased water security and is dramatically increasing access to improved sanitation in Tuvalu. Initially, the project struggled to find families to trial the first ten compost toilets. A communication and
engagement campaign involving innovative strategies including a toilet roadshow, a competition to name the Tuvaluan designed toilet (the ‘Falevatie’), focus groups and targeted media campaigns and numerous school and community sessions were built around a sound technical solution. Less than three years later over 25% of Funafuti’s households (275 families) are seeking to install compost toilets.
The project focus on stakeholder engagement has been reflected in strong support for a national indicator framework and a national water and sanitation policy. The inclusion of gender targets in senior national water governance is a reflection of the empowering nature of the project and a positive response to pilot gender awareness in water workshops.
The project is also assisting with drought management, particularly relevant following the 2011 drought and national State of Emergency, through the development of a national water storage model, providing critical water security management and planning information.

2(a) INDICATOR#1: LESSONS LEARNED INCORPORATED INTO OTHER PROJECT(S) AND/OR
REGULATIONS
Target: Replication demonstrated by end of project
Despite ecosanitation offering many benefits to low-lying Pacific islands challenged by a lack of water resources and minimal capacity for sustainable wastewater treatment and disposal, previous attempts to introduce the technology had seen many failures and no replication. In the space of three years, the Tuvalu GEF Pacific IWRM project has changed this landscape, with the Tuvaluan compost toilet being adopted and adapted in Nauru, RMI and Tonga, with Nauru having expanded the application from households to schools.

The lessons identified across stakeholder engagement, capacity building and communication have helped Nauru and RMI rapidly develop positive stakeholder interest and the knowledge continues to be spread through South-South twinning exchanges.
Within Tuvalu, development partners are strongly supporting the expansion of ecosanitation both within Funafuti and to the Outer islands, with commitments already to treble the number of toilets and national and development partner plans to provide most households in the Outer Islands with access to a compost toilet.

2(b) INDICATOR#2: NATIONAL IWRM INDICATOR FRAMEWORK EMBEDDED IN FORMAL
NATIONAL REPORTING
Target: Framework endorsed by Minister
In a country prone to drought and with significant water and sanitation management related environmental and health challenges, the development of national indicators was supported from community to the Minister. The absence of a monitoring and reporting mechanism meant that government, the community and other stakeholders had little knowledge of the status of water security until the next drought and no means of assessing the value of water management decisions.
The development of national IWRM indicators in early 2012 provided many stakeholders with their first opportunity to actively engage in national water management decisions. The process defined some of the management challenges for the first time (for example, the variance in livestock water use). The value of the framework was recognized immediately by the request for guidance on replicating the process in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

2(c) INDICATOR#3: PROPORTION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN WATER RELATED ISSUES
Target: 30% increases in attendance at awareness raising activities
30% increase in active engagement activities

Prior to the project, the centrally managed water and sanitation sectors provided little scope for community engagement. From such a low baseline, percentage increase in engagement is almost meaningless. More importantly, from a position of virtually no community engagement in water related issues, the project has engaged more than 25% of Funafuti at the highest level of personal engagement, committing the household to a changed lifestyle through ecosanitation.
By continually focusing on communication and engagement the project has managed to actively engage a large proportion of Funafuti, through workshops, community and school events and Kaupule meetings. Key initiatives included the development of a national name for the compost toilet, which provided a sense of national ownership and the subsequent roadshow, engaging families through entertainment and providing access to information and an opportunity to talk through concerns. Community engagement in governance has increased through community leaders’ membership on the project committee and the national APEX body. "

Photo
Data
Year 2012
Reporting date 14-Mar
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